Adrenal cortex tumors in children (report of 13 cases)

Objective To study the clinical manifestations,outcome and treatment of adrenal cortex tumors in children. Methods A retrospective study was carried out for 13 cases of adrenal cortex tumors in children. Results 6 cases were cortical adenocarcinoma whereas 7 were adrenal adenoma.9 patients were accompanied by hypertension with hypertension crisis in 2.11 cases presented Cushing syndrome and 8 with abnormal sex characteristics.Complete removal of the tumor was accomplished in 7. The tumor capsular was ruptured during the operation or the tumor was incompletely removed in 6.Complications included renal vein injury in 2,multiple injury of inferior vena cava,portal vein and renal vein with shock in 1 and diaphragmatic penetration in 1.Of the 6 cases of adenocarcinoma,4 patients died within 1 year,2 were reoperated for tumor relapse. Conclusions Children with cortical carcinoma often presented abnormal sex characteristics due to oversecretion of androgen and should be differentiated from congenital cortical proliferation and sex premature.Blood vessel injury is the commonest surgical complication.The prognosis of adenocarcinoma is poor while that of the adrenal cortical adenoma is good.